Map

Orion is the most valuable sector in the center of the Space Grid which is equidistant from all player’s Home Worlds.

Player Home Worlds are the 4 corners of the Space Grid.

For 6 Players:

The map is created with a total of 103 sectors for 6 players

Orion is the most valuable sector in the center of the Space Grid which is equidistant from all player’s Home Worlds.

Player Home Worlds are the 6 corners of the Space Hex.

Neutral Zone

The first time any race enters a neutral zone sector on the map; that player should roll on the random Orion Ship Chart to gain the service of a random ship for the duration of the campaign. (Note: each neutral zone sector is only checked once during the campaign.)

Roll Randomly for:

1: LR
2: CR
3: HR
4: DBR
5: MR
6: Sal

Roll

Option Mount

1

ADD

2

Cloak

3

Disruptor

4

Drone A

5

ESG * (two adj Mounts)

6

Fusion Beam

7

Hellbore (non wing mounts)

8

Mine Rack (loaded)

9

PH-1

10

PH-G

11

Photon

12

PL-D

13

PL-F Swivel Mount

14

PL-S/G Swivel Mount *

15

PPD *

16

Special Sensor

17

Drone G

18

AWR or PH-2

19

One Transporter, Battery, Tractor, Lab, or PH-3

20

Drone E

Orion Sector

At any time that the Orion Sector is entered by a race(s) they may only occupy the sector by defeating the NPC Orion Fleet. Immediately upon defeating the NPC Fleet, the sole surviving player race, receives 1 BATS (of the corresponding race) and 6 Orion PFs. (Note: If more than 1 player race enters the Orion Sector simultaneously each must fight a mirror battle against the NPC. If more than 1 player race defeats the NPC Fleet, they must resolve combat resolution normally to determine the 1st player to occupy Orion). Once the Orion Fleet is defeated in game, no other player is required to combat the NPC and the Orion Sector is resolved as any other sector in the game.

Starting Forces

2000 BPV of mobile units chosen by each player. No more than 1 size class 2 unit.

Additionally, up to 200 BPV may be spent for Commanders Options on the starting units at no cost.

Free starting assets

2 Fleet Tugs at no cost.

1 Repair Dock at no cost.

1 Size Class 3 Construction Dock at Home World at no cost.

1 Size Class 4 Construction Dock at Home World at no cost.

1 Starbase at no cost at Home World

1 Standard Minefield at no cost for Starbase at Home World

1 Fighter Moon Base at Home World with 12 Fighters of players choice at no cost.

3 Phaser Bases on Moon at no cost.

6 Phaser Bases on Home World at no cost.

1 Warp Gate (200 BPV value) at Home World Sector at no cost.

All free starting assets may have 10% of their Combat BPV in free commander’s options.

Time

Each game turn represents 2 months of the calendar. Game start is Y173.

Strategic Movement

Each turn, a ship with warp capability may move 1 sector on the map to any adjacent sector or (if starting at a Warp Gate) operate 2 linked Warp Gates. (Note: Warp Gates may be no further than 3 sectors to maintain a link). (Note: Ship Tugs may tow 1 noncapable warp ship).

Warp Gate Cannot be used on turn of movement

Slow Strategic Movement

Calculate the Tactical speed using only warp engines of the vessel or vessels (if towing is involved). If this speed is less than 16, the Vessel(s) moves at 1/2 strategic speed. Thus it may take two turns to move a single hex.

Reaction

Ship(s) in their own controlled Home Space Sectors which do not move; may “react” 1 sector towards the approaching opposing fleet moving into another one of their controlled Home Space Sectors. This may result in an intercept requiring combat resolution.

Ships in a friendly controlled sector within 1 sector of a friendly base may “react” 1 sector towards an approaching opposing fleet. This may result in combat resolution.

If ship(s) of opposing sides occupy the same sector combat resolution is required.

Warp gate cannot be used for reaction movement.

Reaction Movement is then plotted for a simultaneous move, with initiative resolving which hex a reaction battle occurs

Economics

Home World Sectors (100 BPV each, starting area for each race)

Neutral Zone Sectors (150 BPV each, at least 3 sectors distant from any one Home World)

Home Space Sectors (50 BPV each; within 2 sectors of each Home World)

Orion (500 BPV; The central point of the entire Space Grid)

Presence of a Planet randomly rolled upon entering a sector (+10 BPV)or in combat resolution (Removed, intent is to discover planets in the explore/expand stages)

Economic BPV is generated each 3rd game turn; and is paid out based on ownership of each individual sector at on that turn. BPV is spent at the end of a revenue turn or may be saved and spent on any future game turn.

Units that are started construction can qualify of the year of availability that they are delivered.

Special Construction

The following units can be built at the home world without using a Construction Dock:

Construction Docks

Warp Gates

Base “Modules” can be built by homeward construction and don’t take up construction yard space

Commander’s Options

Commander’s Options can be built at any base or at the home world. These are built instantly.

For purposes of this rule MRS shuttles are built as commander’s option, not as fighters.

SWAC shuttles are NOT built using this rule, they are built as fighters.

Refits, Upgrades, & Conversions

Bases

Mobile Bases

Mobile bases are built at Construction Docks. They are moved by tugs. They take a turn to deploy (no tug needed). Up to four pods may be attached.

Upgrading Bases

A mobile base with 4 attached pods may be upgraded to a Base Station. A Base Station can be upgraded to a Battle Station. A Battle Station can be upgraded to a Star Base.

Each step of this upgrade process takes a full turn and requires the use of a tug or a repair asset (which cannot be used for any other purpose this turn).

Ground Bases and Planetary Defenses

No more than one base (base station, battle station, or starbase) in any system.

No more than 5 defense satellites around any world and none at all around moons.

Home world - No more than two defensive ground base (fighter or PF base, ground missile base, ground phaser base, etc.) on any hex side of any world

Colony world - No more than 1.5 defensive ground base (fighter or PF base, ground missile base, ground phaser base, etc.) on any hex side of any world (One on each hex side, and one additional every other hex side)

Moons - No more than three defensive ground bases on any moon (one every other hex side)

No more than one sensor station and power station per hex side of any planet, and every other hex side of a moon.

No more than two fighter squadrons and one PF flotilla stationed as a fixed defense in the system, i.e., on ground bases, and no more than two fighter squadrons and one PF flotilla on base modules.

No more than two standard minefields around any colony or base, four around a major world. Each standard minefield can have no more than 10 points spent on additional mine enhancements (command control, etc.).

Pods/Modules

All pods are in a pool when not attached. These (seemly miraculously) show up where they are wanted, when they are wanted. Thus a pod/module constructed on a turn can instantly appear at a base several sectors away and be attached immediately.

Repair:

Utilize basic game rules for determining what may be used to repair which units (Tugs, Repair Docks, Star Bases, etc).

Limits

A repair asset is defined as:

A tug with a repair pod

A small repair freighter

A tug with two repair pods is considered two repair assets

AN FRD is two repair assets

A Base station or Battle Station is three repair assets (= number of docking points).

A Star Base is six repair assets (= number of docking points).

A repair pod is a repair asset (only) if attached appropriately to an operational mobile base.

Crippled Units

Each non-moving repair asset can repair one crippled ship. This takes a full turn.

Cost

Damaged Units cost BPV in additional to having required repair unit in place. Cost is the highest according to the chart below:

Any Internal Damage: 10% base cost of the unit.

Crippled Units: 25% base cost of the unit.

Any Excess Damage and/or No Warp Boxes remaining on unit: 40% base cost of the unit.

Limitations

Each repair box can perform a maximum of 2 BPV of repairs.

For example a small repair freighter has 10 repair boxes, and thus can repair a maximum of 20 BPV of damaged OR crippled ships per turn.

There are no partial repairs.

Refits and Captured Ships

Captured Ships must be refitted for conversion at a construction facility, Star Base, or FRD. The cost of conversion is 10% higher than the cost to repair the ship (A crippled D5 would cost 110 * 25% + 110 * 10% = 39 BPV to convert)

Expendables

Expendables used during combat may be replaced at no cost provided a unit is in supply. Supply may be provided by occupying any friendly controlled home space sector; or a sector containing either a controlled Planet, Base, or Tug.

Fighters, drones, T-Bombs, shuttles, boarding parties, probes, and other ammunition are considered expendables.

PFs are not considered expendables.

Combat

Each Player arranges his ships into 1 or more Fleets utilizing command point limits.

Utilize Page 31 of the Campaign Designer Handbook.

Class

Command Points

CA/War Cruiser and larger

1 point

Heavy DW

0.8 points

DW

0.7 or three for 2 points

DD

0.6 or three for 1.5 points

FF

0.4 or three for 1 point

Police Cutter

0.3 or 3 cutters and a police flagship for 1 point

Opposing Fleets are randomly paired against each other.

No More than 1 Fleet may engage any other enemy fleet.

A player may elect to either fight the battle once pairings are revealed or retreat from the sector utilizing the retreat rules.

Players Should Roll on the Local Terrain Chart Below prior to starting combat:

Ships which retreat must attempt to retreat into a sector which contains either no units or only friendly units if possible.

If two sectors are equidistant, the owner player may elect to retreat according to his preference.

A fleet which is forced to retreat into an enemy occupied sector, may elect to retreat into the sector but is required to combat to the death in that sector if the enemy fleet itself does not retreat. Fleets can not “bing” back and forth between sectors in successive retreats in one turn. If there is already a combat taking place into the retreated sector; those new arriving units would not be available for combat resolution until round 2 of the new sector.

Determining Control of a Sector:

The Starting Home World is considered controlled at the start of the campaign for each player.

All other sectors at the start of the game are considered Neutral.

A neutral sector becomes controlled by a race who is the last sole occupier of that sector at the end of a turn.

Only controlled sectors generate BPV income on revenue collecting turns.

Isolated Sectors

A controlled sector outside of home space sectors which is not adjacent to another controlled sector does not generate BPV but still may provide supply as normal. We did not talk about this specifically but I thought that it makes sense. Alternatively, a “cut off” sector could transport its BPV back to the Home World via use of a Tug? I think only the Orion Sector would be worth that use normally?

Strategic Sequence of Play

Movement

Record all moves (secret)

Reveal all moves (simultaneous)

Roll Initiative

Reaction movement – in reverse initiative order (lowest roll first)

Scan – scouts get adjacent hex fleet Size classes

Retreats – in initiative order (highest initiative first), players are made aware of the exact ships in opponents force before a retreat decision is made